Learn Hardcore German: Für heute reicht das aus.

In Für heute reicht das aus, the first position is the whole phrase Für heute, and the second position is the verb reicht.
After that, you can place the subject das and the separable prefix aus at the end.

Für heute das reicht aus is wrong because then the verb reicht would be in the third position (after Für heute and das), which violates the V2 rule.

Grammatically correct alternatives:

Das reicht für heute aus.
Für heute reicht es.
Es reicht für heute.

Can I also say Das reicht für heute aus? Is there any difference in meaning from Für heute reicht das aus?

Yes, Das reicht für heute aus is perfectly correct and very common.

Meaning-wise, they are the same: That is enough for today.

The difference is mainly in emphasis:

Das reicht für heute aus. – neutral or slightly emphasizes das (“that thing / that amount”).
Für heute reicht das aus. – slightly emphasizes für heute (“for today (at least)”).

In everyday conversation, they are interchangeable in most contexts.

What is the difference between reichen and ausreichen in this sentence?

In this context, reichen and ausreichen both express the idea of to be enough / to suffice.

Das reicht. – That’s enough.
Das reicht aus. – That’s enough / That suffices.

ausreichen is a separable verb:

infinitive: ausreichen
main clause: Das reicht aus. (prefix aus goes to the end)
subordinate clause: …, weil das ausreicht. (prefix stays attached)

Nuances:

In everyday speech, Das reicht is very common and sounds a bit more casual and direct.
Das reicht aus can sound slightly more complete or emphatic, or a bit more formal/neutral in some contexts, but very often they are used interchangeably.

Why is it das and not es in Für heute reicht das aus?

Both das and es are possible, but they behave slightly differently:

das usually refers to a specific thing or amount already known from context:
- You’re looking at a stack of homework pages: Für heute reicht das aus. (This amount is enough for today.)
es is more like an empty/impersonal subject or a very vague “it”:
- Für heute reicht es. – For today, it’s enough. (doesn’t highlight a specific that)

In many real situations you could use either, but:

If you’re clearly pointing at or referring to something concrete, das is slightly more natural.
For a more general “That’ll do for today”, Es reicht für heute is also very common.

What exactly does Für heute mean? Is it more like “for today” or “for now”?

Literally, für heute = for today.

In practice, it often has the sense of:

“for today (as opposed to tomorrow / later)”
and very close to English “for now / for today”, especially when you stop an activity for the day.

Examples:

Für heute reicht das aus. – That’s enough for today / That’ll do for now (for today).
Für heute machen wir Schluss. – We’ll call it a day for today.

So the core meaning is “for today”, but the feeling in context is often “for now (today)”.

What case is heute in after für? I thought für always takes the accusative.

You’re right that für always takes the accusative case, but heute is not a noun here; it’s an adverb meaning today, like English today.

Adverbs in German don’t have case endings, so heute simply stays heute and doesn’t show any visible accusative ending.

Compare:

für den Montag – for Monday (here Montag is a noun, takes accusative with the article den)
für heute – for today (here heute is an adverb, no article, no ending)

So conceptually it’s “accusative after für”, but there’s no form change to see because heute is an adverb.

Is aus in reicht das aus a normal preposition or part of the verb?

In reicht das aus, aus is not a preposition; it is a separable prefix of the verb ausreichen.

infinitive: ausreichen
present, 3rd person singular: (es) reicht aus

In main clauses, the prefix aus separates and moves to the end of the clause:

Für heute reicht das aus.

In subordinate clauses, it stays attached:

…, weil das für heute ausreicht. – …because that is enough for today.

So you should think of reichen … aus as two parts of a single verb.

Could I just say Für heute reicht das without aus? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, Für heute reicht das is also correct and very natural.

Meaning-wise, in most everyday contexts, Für heute reicht das and Für heute reicht das aus are practically the same: That’s enough for today.

Nuances:

…reicht das – slightly shorter, more colloquial/neutral.
…reicht das aus – can sound a bit more explicit or complete, sometimes slightly more formal or emphatic.

In spontaneous speech, many people would say just Das reicht (für heute).

How would the sentence change in a subordinate clause?

In a subordinate clause (introduced by a conjunction like weil, dass, etc.), German sends the conjugated verb to the end and keeps the separable prefix attached.

Main clause:

Für heute reicht das aus.

Subordinate clause versions:

…, weil das für heute ausreicht. – …because that is enough for today.
…, dass das für heute ausreicht. – …that that is enough for today.

Observe:

reicht … aus → ausreicht (prefix no longer separated)
The verb now comes at the very end of the clause.

Is Für heute reicht das aus formal, or is it something I can say in casual conversation?

You can absolutely use it in casual conversation. It’s neutral and common.

informal/friendly:
- Das reicht für heute.
- Für heute reicht das.
neutral / slightly more formal / written:
- Für heute reicht das aus.
- Das reicht für heute aus.

All of these are fine in normal spoken German. None of them sounds overly formal or strange in everyday use.

Are there common alternative expressions with the same meaning as Für heute reicht das aus?

Yes, several natural alternatives:

Das reicht für heute. – Very common.
Für heute reicht das. – Same meaning, emphasis on today.
Genug für heute. – Enough for today. (elliptical, very colloquial)
Für heute ist Schluss. – That’s it for today.
Für heute machen wir Schluss. – We’re calling it a day.

All of these can be used to end an activity or say that the current amount is sufficient for today.

Can you show the full conjugation of ausreichen in the present tense with das?

Sure, using ausreichen in the present tense (Präsens), with das as the subject:

ich reiche aus – I am enough / I suffice (rare in this meaning with ich, more for handing something: Ich reiche dir das Buch aus is different)
du reichst aus – you are enough (also unusual in this “suffice” sense)
er/sie/es reicht aus – he/she/it is enough / suffices
- Das reicht aus. – That is enough.
wir reichen aus – we are enough / we suffice
ihr reicht aus – you (plural) are enough
sie reichen aus – they are enough / they suffice
Sie reichen aus – you (formal) are enough

In normal usage for “enough”, the third person is by far the most common:

Das reicht aus. / Es reicht aus. / Die Mittel reichen aus. – The funds are sufficient.